Home defense is one of the primary causes of firearm ownership among United States citizens. According to one source, 60% of those who own firearms list “Personal Safety / Protection” as their #1reason for gun ownership.

There’s a great many privately owned firearms in the United States. As a matter of fact, the U.S. ranks #1 in private gun ownership in the world. Consequently, there’s also a great many privatefirearmthefts in the U.S. – approximately 1,600 GUNS PER DAY or 600,000 GUNS PER YEAR to be exact.

Considering that the vast majority of these stolen firearms end up on the black market, this is a real problem.

If you’re a gun owner, maintaining your firearms is of the utmost importance. This includes keeping them in a safe and secure place. Gun safes are the most common method of firearm storage, but there are those who believe that gun safes are too large, too conspicuous and too expensive.

In response, some gun owners have decided to use hidden compartments around their home to store their guns.

Let’s Look at the Pro’s & Con’s of Hiding Your Guns in Plain Sight.

#1. Accessibility

Easy access to your firearms is probably the first benefit that comes to mind when pondering hidden compartment gun storage. In a high intensity situation in which you’re in your home and need to get to your firearms quickly, getting to your safe could take too much time.

Hidden compartment storage allows you to store your firearms in nearly any conceivable area. Keeping in mind that time is of the essence – especially during a home invasion – having your firearms readily accessible is the primary benefit of a hidden compartment storage.

#2. Reduced Space

Bulkier and more conventional gun safes are often placed in areas of your home that are not frequented – e.g. the basement, spare bedroom closet, the garage, etc. This is often due to their size and the ongoing battle of maintaining space in your home.

Coincidentally, the same reason you placed your gun safe in these relatively isolated areas is the reason it may cause drastic problems later on…IT’S COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WAY.

Small area space makes hidden compartment storage a viable option. Not only are you saving room, but you’re using the space strategically and efficiently.

#3. Hidden is the Operative Word

If one’s intent is to steal a gun – and they break into a home to do so – what’s the first thing they’re most likely going to look for?

My money’s on…well…a gun safe.

As mentioned above, traditional gun safes are conspicuous. Even individuals who don’t own firearms themselves and who have no firearm experience know a gun safe when they see one. This could make them a likely target for home invasions.

#1. Accessibility

That’s right, while accessibility was listed as the primary benefit of hidden compartment gun storage, it could also be considered it’s largest drawback.

When accessed and handled by properly trained individuals, firearms pose little threat to injury. However, when untrained individuals get their hands on a firearm, accidental fatal/nonfatal injury rates rise.

For example, from 2005-2010, almost 3,800 people in the U.S. died from unintentional shootings. In 2010 alone, 73,505 Americans were treated in hospital emergency departments for non-fatal gunshot wounds and firearm injuries caused the deaths of 606 people.
Source: Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence

We can all agree that firearm deaths are unwanted, undesirable and tragic. Ensuring that unqualified individuals do not have access to firearms plays a tremendous role in reducing unintentional firearm deaths/injuries. Accidentally stumbling upon hidden compartment storage for firearms could result in objectionable gun access.

#2. Legality / Potential Legal Consequences

In the unfortunate event that your guns are stolen, the legal system will most likely come into play. Gun safes are often used as a counter to claims of negligence on behalf of the gun’s legal owner.

The penalties for allowing a child or an equally inadequate individual access to a gun varies by state, but you could possibly be charged with criminal liability for negligent storage if your firearm is used it to cause injury. Of course, firearm laws vary GREATLY by state and some state laws have harsher penalties than others. Every accident and injury is handled on a subjective basis and negligence may be found in some scenarios and not others.

That being said, hidden compartment gun storage may not fall under your state’s outlined firearm storage laws. Before opting for this method of gun storage this is an important aspect to research.

#3. Higher Vulnerability to Corrosion

While standard metal gun safes are NOT wholly immune to corrosion, they’ll more than likely provide better corrosion protection than a hidden compartment. This is primarily due to the the materials used to make hidden compartment gun storage devices…primarily wood.

We’ve seen a multitude of hidden compartment gun storage methods. We think it’s safe to say a large majority of them are not air-tight. This is crucial because it allows for the contact of your firearms with sulfuric gases and moisture: the two biggest catalysts of corrosion.

While we haven’t been able to find any studies done comparing corrosion rates of firearms within traditional gun safes v.s. hidden compartments, science says that corrosion rates would be lower within a traditional safe. What’s more, anti-corrosion gun bags would lower corrosion rates in both.

In conclusion, hidden compartment gun storage could serve you well. However, there’s pro’s and con’s to this method that should be looked into before committing to it over traditional gun safes.

Firearm ownership is a responsibility that nobody should bear lightly. Whether you own them for hobby, sport or necessity, ensuring that your firearms are properly cared for is of the utmost importance.

In light of this, we’ve compiled 5 Tips for Gun Maintenance and Upkeep in an effort to keep your firearms in superior condition for many years to come!

#1. WD40 Is Not Good To Use On Firearms

WD40 has an unprecedented presence in various industrial marketplaces. As a matter of fact, it’s often the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of lubricant.

An acronym for “Water Displacement Formula 40”, WD40 can be found in almost any industry and people always seem to find new uses for it.

But is it good to use on your guns? The answer – it seems – is No.

Contrary to the statements made on their website, many gun experts will insist that you keep WD40 away from your firearms,except in rare instances (e.g., you drop your gun in a lake and need to get the water removed fast, you’re using your gun during a rain storm and have no way of avoiding excessive amounts of water, etc.).

The reasoning for not using WD40 on your firearms comes from an intimate knowledge of how it actually works. First and foremost, that distinctive blue and yellow can is a water displacerand not a true lubricant. It works as a solvent and its lubricating properties are short-lived.

While it’s efficient at breaking up rust, once the hydrocarbons it contains dissolve they leave behind a low concentration of petroleum oil; that’s the slick film you feel after using WD40. Its formula (as referenced by its Material Safety Data Sheet) contains less than 25% petroleum oil.

This is why anything with moving parts seems to operate like grease lightning after applying WD40 to it. Not long after its initial application, however, the use of WD40causes issues.

Gunking up triggers, hammers or any other moving parts on your gun is bad news. After WD40’s initial front of lubrication fades away, the rest of its ingredients simply hang around collecting dirt, grime and grit. WD40 essentially achieves the opposite effect you were looking for.

#2. Do Not Use Silicone Sprays On Your Guns

Silicone can make a good lubricant, but there are some instances where it can cause problems as well. Silicone-based lubricants are extremely difficult to remove from surfaces. While longevity is generally a positive trait for a lubricant, there are some situations in which it can be a negative.

Due to its retardant qualities, silicone based lubricants can and will interfere with the adherence of fluids onto the surface of your guns. With regards to bluing and re-finishing, this can prove a major issue.

Silicone will remain on the surface of your firearms for years. While ideal for water repellency, if you ever need to implement a new plating or coating, silicone’s unyielding tendency to stick around may cause unwanted and unneeded resistance.

Another major downside to the use of silicone-based lubricants is its thinness. Normal usage of your firearms over time will lead to wear. Certain areas of the gun’s silicon coatings can be worn down and eradicated, leaving penetrable areas of exposed metal.

Pair this with oil’s tendency to ball and disperse unevenlyand you have a firearm that’s now extremely vulnerable to corrosion.

Much like WD40, silicone sprays might work for a small window of time on your firearms. However, after their cursory preliminary effects fade, both you and your firearm may have more problems than you initially started with.

#3. Pennies Remove Gun Rust

Yeah! Believe it or not, the gun maintenance tip that seems most likely to be a hoax is completely true!

Apply some 3-In-One oil to a rusty firearm, rub it with a copper penny and the rust will be no more. Pretty neat, right?

This gun maintenance tip may seem more like a novelty than an actual utility, but you should be keeping an eye out for copper pennies. Check that the penny was made before 1982 to ensure that it’s made of copper.

When used in conjunction with oil and a (relatively) non-abrasive steel wool pad, removing rust off the barrel of a gun is a breeze.

#4. Desiccants May Not Be The Best Option

One popular corrosion prevention method for firearms is as follows:

Place the firearm in a large plastic bag.

Toss in some desiccants.

Seal the bag as best you can.

Leave the bag in a relatively dry area

Hope for the best.

The largest variable in this equation is your geographic location and relativelevels of humidity. To be honest, you may be able to get away with storing your firearms during dry seasons using this method. In wet areas with high humidity levels though, you desicCAN’T(Sorry – we had to).

The most important thing to know about desiccants such as silica gels is that they have a saturation point. A desiccant placed in a humid area will inevitably reach its absorption limit after a certain period of time. Once this happens, the desiccant essentially becomes a bag of humidity.

As you might guess, storing a metal firearm with a damp or soggy bag isn’t an ideal solution. Absorbing the moisture out of the air is one thing, but eliminating it from the atmosphere altogether is another.

If the moisture is never removed from the immediate area surrounding the firearm, it’s simply hanging around and waiting to start the oxidation process. This is an important thing to consider, especially within gun safes…

#5. Gun Bags Should Be Used (Even In Safes)

It goes without saying that if you own firearms; you’re going to want a gun safe as well. Gun safes not only keep your guns secure and out of reach from those unqualified to handle them, but they also provide much needed storage space.

Moisture often gets trapped in gun safes. As covered in tip #4, adding desiccants to a safe won’t truly solve this problem.

Some gun safes come installed with dehumidifiers in an effort to expel the present moisture altogether. While these dehumidifiers are a much more effective method of corrosion prevention for your firearms, it’s still a great idea to use gun bags – even within safes.

Depending on which type you purchase, these gun bags can provide a multitude of benefits, including:

Prevention of scratches.

Prevention of contact with moisture.

Prevention of contact with reactive gases.

Improved organization.

Additionally, individual gun bags take up significantly less space than other forms of corrosion protection for firearms. This is crucial – because as we all know – space in a gun safe is a limited commodity!

There’s a wide selection of gun bags to choose from. Some are “impregnated” with different coatings and gels that are meant to transfer onto the surface of your gun, but these are ones you may want to avoid (see tip #2).

The two most commonly used metals in firearms are steel and stainless steel. Generally, rust is the primary corrosion concern. Another common metal found in firearms – Aluminum – doesn’t rust, but it does corrode.

However, regardless of the primary metal in your firearm (steel or aluminum), Pitting is an extensive form of corrosion that should be at the forefront of gun owners’ minds.

Understanding Steel, Stainless Steel & Aluminum

Steel, stainless steel and aluminum all contain oxide layers on their outer surfaces.

Stainless Steel

Many people assume that stainless steel is completely resistant to corrosion and rust…this isn’t actually the case. It’s not impervious to the caustic processes of moisture, low oxygen and salt. A more realistic way to think of stainless steel is “stains less”.

Aluminum

Contrary to steel and stainless steel, Aluminum does not rust regardless of the extremity of its environment. As mentioned above, however, it does corrode. This is due to its aluminum oxide surface layer. Aluminum oxide protects the base metal of aluminum from corrosion, however, this surface layer will deteriorate in atmospheres of high or low pH levels or when in contact with chlorides.

What is Pitting?

Pitting is a form of extremely localized corrosion. It leads to the creation of small holes in metals… hence the name pitting!

This is a form of corrosion that literally creates visible pits in the metal, creating a rough and uneven surface.

Besides being unsightly – and usually accompanied by rust when formed on steel and stainless steel – it compromises the integrity of your metal and can lead to substantial degradation.

What Causes Pitting?

There’s a variety of ways in which pitting can be initiated.

The primary cause of the development of pitting is localized chemical or mechanical damage to a metal’s protective film. This refers to the differences in the metals emphasized above:

Stainless Steel’s Chromium Oxide Layer

Steel’s Iron Oxide Layer

Aluminum’s Aluminum Oxide Layer

Another common way in which pitting forms is through poor or improper coating techniques. If a coating is applied unevenly, the metal will contain areas in which it’s particularly vulnerable to corrosion. These areas will be the first to go if contained within an environment high in humidity or salinity.

In turn, the pitting will begin to spread to areas surrounding the origin site. As a metal’s oxide layers begin to breakdown, corrosives come in contact with the base metal. As they eat away at the metals surface, small holes are formed.

How to Fix Pitting

There’s only one way to fix metal pitting…sanding and/or abrasion. Pitting isn’t like other forms of corrosion that can be dealt with via chemical treatment.

Because pitting physically eats away at the metal and leaves cavities, the only solution is to sand down the pitted area on the metal entirely. Once the pitted holes are sanded out and the surface area of the metal is even, a new coating could be applied. As you may have guessed, sanding and abrasion isn’t always an option.

In terms of pitting on firearms, there are a few reasons why you wouldn’t want to sand down your gun:

Depreciation

Whether your firearms are antiques, collectables or more contemporary, sanding down your gun barrel often results in depreciation of the weapon’s value. Ever seen an episode of Antique’s Roadshow? If so, you might notice the devastating effects on price and quality that result from improper repairs.

Uneven Coating

More often than not, pitting on a firearm is localized – usually it’s not spread throughout the entirety of the gun barrel. This means a section of the gun is pitted and a section is in good/fair condition.

If you elect to sand down the pitted area of the weapon and re-coat it with some sort of corrosion protection, this can result in an uneven coating. Furthermore, if the new coating differs from the originally coating, more issues may arise.

Proactivity Prevents Pitting

The best way to handle the effects of pitting? Don’t let it happen in the first place!

Generally, we equate oxidation with iron and the rust it develops when exposed to air and moisture. But why does this happen?

Furthermore, what other types of materials succumb to oxidation?

In this blog post, we’re going to take a closer look at the oxidation process and it’s lesser known role in the decay of garments and textiles.

Oxidation

Plainly stated, oxidation is the loss of an atom or compound’s electrons.

…What the heck does that mean?

Well, an atom is composed of neutrons, protons and electrons:

Neutrons have no charge (+/-).

Protons have a positive charge (+).

Together, neutrons and protons form a positively charged nucleus.

Removing any number of protons from a nucleus changes the element entirely, while removing or adding neutrons from a nucleus has no effect whatsoever.

On the outside of the nucleus are negatively charged electrons (–).

Remove one of these guys from an atom and it will become positively charged.

Add one of these guys and it will become negatively charged.

That’s a weird concept to grasp, but know that the addition of an electron results in a negative charge.

It sounds counterintuitive that adding results in a loss, but that’s the way it goes!

So getting back to where we started, the removal of an atom’s electrons results in oxidation.

Protons and electrons cancel each other out – when the same number of each is present than an atom is neutral. When one of these numbers change though, it has drastic effects.

Metals like Iron and Magnesium are more prone to giving away their electrons. Because of this, they’re more likely to succumb to oxidation! This is important because oxidation changes the structure of an element entirely.

Garment Degradation

We’ve already covered the effects of rust and iron here. The rest of this post is going to cover a less examined phenomenon of oxidation – the decay of garments and textiles.

When you think of clothing you don’t normally think of rust. Most of us realize that clothing will decay over time, but we usually attribute it to wear and tear, sunlight and mildew.

These elements certainly play a role in garment degradation. From an everyday point of view – and for more modern clothing – these are the chief concerns when it comes to retaining a garment’s integrity.

Another factor that comes into play with older textiles is oxidation. Tapestries, carpets, quilts, clothing, flags and more are often subject to this caustic process due to the metallic content of the dyes that were commonplace in textile production during the time period.

For antiques and heirlooms, this a major problem!

Oxidation of Textiles

Let’s take the chemistry we learned a few paragraphs ago and apply it to…say…a 19th century garment.

If a textile manufacturer in the 19th century wanted to apply a dye to a garment and do it accurately, they used what’s called a mordant. A mordant is a substance that’s added to a dye and chemically combined with it. It allows a dye to affix itself to a fabric.

Mordants are a vital part to the dying process and they’re still used today! Unfortunately though, many older mordants contained easily oxidized metals, such as iron. These substances oxidize over time and set into effect a process of breakdown in the textiles, reducing the durability of the cloth and changing its color and chemistry.

While the use of iron mordants in the 19th century seemed like a fine idea at the time, their latent effects are being seen today. The use of easily oxidized metals in mordants is a thing of the past, but that doesn’t help today’s individual collectors and museums retain the historical articles that still contain them!

If you own an old quilt, tapestry or garment that’s been passed down in your family, the use of iron mordants in the object’s dyes is something you’ll want to look into before it’s too late. Realistically, they’ve already begun to oxidize – and this is a difficult process to stop.

Solutions

The most surefire way to stop the process of oxidation is by placing something in a climate controlled room, box or wall fixture. This, of course, is much easier said than done!

“Climate controlled” is about as expensive as it sounds. With the exception of serious collectors and endowment-blessed museums, this isn’t a realistic option.

Intercept Technology – the propriety tech used in all of PreservAll’s storage bags – provides museums and collectors alike with an effective means of textile and antique protection at a significantly lower cost!

The United States ranks #1 in gun ownership per capita. In a study done examining gun ownership among private citizens (barring military issued weapons) the U.S. clocks in higher than every other country in the world.

Between our 2nd amendment politics, trigger-happy action flicks and history of firearm innovation, this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

What is it that makes gun ownership so popular in the United States? What drives innumerable scores of U.S. citizens to purchase guns at this unprecedented rate?

Recreation

While some individuals view guns as conduits of death, others view them recreational devices. Many United States citizens enjoy hunting, trap shooting and visiting the firing range in their free time.

For someone who’s never been around guns before, their portrayal in the media can be terrifying. News cycles almost always include a bank robbery or murder via firearm and the depiction of guns in TV series/movies is almost always accompanied with violence. In effect, many non-gun owners think it impossible to own a gun and NOT be violent.

But this isn’t actually the case!

The above study claims that U.S. gun ownership per capita is 88.8 to 100. That means that there’s nearly 89 guns for every 100 citizens. That’s a lotta guns.

But compare this level of gun ownership with the rate of intentional homicides by country where the U.S. is ranked 92nd. Suddenly gun ownership per capita seems less representative of violence then it does enthusiasm and interest.

Gun ownership doesn’t correlate with gun-toting maniacs as much as many forms of media would have you believe. In a sense, guns are akin to bowling, skiing, rock climbing or music: they’re hobbies!

Bowlers purchase different balls that will probably never see the lanes. Skiers buy paris of skis and googles that will never hit the slopes. Musicians collect an abundance of instruments that they’ll admittedly never play and Rock Climbers amass insane collections of expensive gear that’ll never meet the face of a cliff.

In the same vein, most gun owners own multiple guns because they’re hobbyists and geeks! Sure, they’re nuts but they’re not insane as many would have you believe.

Whether they fall in love with a piece due to it’s rarity, appearance or functionality, they simply must have it. Old-faithfuls are always brought out to the range or the woods, while the special guns are in storage at home.

History

Just like any other antique or vintage item, firearms are collectibles that tell a story. The very first gun was produced in 1365 and their onset changed the face of human history.

Firearms convey a story. Whether it’s a highly personal tale or a physical bookmark of larger innovations, firearms are sought out by collectors for historical purposes.

The United States’s influence on firearms has not gone unnoticed. Remington, Colt, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Smith & Wesson: all are firearms manufacturers founded in the U.S. and each has had a significant impact on the evolution and technology of firearms. Examples aplenty reside in Cody’s Firearms Museum – a subsection of Buffalo Bill’s Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming.

Until you’ve been to the museum yourself, it’s hard to fully appreciate the breadth and scope of firearms innovations that have unfolded over the years. The attention to detail, craftsmanship and engineering expertise required to make guns is almost unfathomable.

The fact that there’s an entire museum dedicated to guns is a testament to their historical value and importance. These objects serve as a chronology of technical innovations, while embodying the spirit of the wild west and American patriotism. It’s the reason why a collector will seek out a novelty 1800’s firearm while cherishing his grandfather’s WWII rifle.

Those who collect firearms and archive their relevance and emotion do so out of passion. Because so much of U.S. history is held in firearms and their ramifications, collecting guns is immensely popular here.

Security

Mass media inevitably shape people’s opinions on gun ownership and gun owners, despite the fact that they rarely display everyday accounts of gun ownership! What we see are the extremes of guns and not their everyday utility.

For instance, gun ownership in less populated areas of the country is a perfectly sound endeavor. It provides people with a means of security when law enforcement is a great distance away, while also providing residents with a means of acquiring food.

This map shows gun ownership per household by state – the darker shades of pink represent higher rates of gun ownership:

Less populated states have higher rates of gun ownership! These aren’t necessarily people stockpiling weapons in anticipation of a zombie apocalypse, but citizens who view firearms as a means of security. Many of your own friends and acquaintances may own guns, but do not make it known in order to avoid stigmatization.

Constitutional Rights

We’re going to keep this as nonpartisan as possible.

Perhaps the most widely attributed reason for gun ownership in the U.S. is the 2nd amendment: “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms”.

Gun ownership is hotbed of controversy and politics, but it’s something that we must address in this article. In our opinion, the 2nd amendment triggers something of a chicken-or-the-egg debate:

Is the 2nd amendment the reason for widespread gun ownership, or do the threats posed to it generate interest in guns?

The 2nd amendment is a precursor to gun ownership. Without a constitutional right to do so, U.S. citizens wouldn’t be allowed to own guns in the first place.

What we’re referring to is the underlying sentiment of gun ownership. Do U.S. citizens buy guns in mass quantities simply because they can or do they buy them in response to a perceived threat? Gun sales usually rise in response to talks of new gun control laws. So is this correlation representative of all gun sales?

If you’re looking for us to give you a concrete answer, you’re out of luck. Sorry! Social psychologists and economists have tried to find the answer to this question for some time.

Corrosion & Metals: The Bully & The Victim

Science can be confusing. There’s an endless set of laws and theories involved, numbers to remember and chemical reactions to observe. Unfortunately, CORROSION is a scientific process. It plagues nearly all industries, destroys items of value and causes headaches, stress and financial losses.

CORROSION is the enemy!

If you’re not a scientist, but want a fuller understanding of this persistent enemy, then this article is for you!

I’m going to break down corrosion and various methods of corrosion protection with a traditional analogy:

A Bully, his Victim and an Interloper.

NOTE: By no means do we mean to make light of bullying or its devastating effects. We feel that this analogy provides a simplistic way to comprehend corrosion. If you or someone you know is being bullied, visit www.stopbullying.gov/resourcesfor more info on how to properly deal with the situation)

The Corresponding Roles

We’ve talked at length about the causes of corrosion. Put simply, the most common causes of corrosion are:

Corrosive Gases (Sulfuric Gases)

Moisture

You can picture these elements as thebully in this analogy, picking on his victim (ferrous and non-ferrous metals).

The metals that degrade by way of corrosion are the bully’s victims:

Ferrous Metals

Non-Ferrous Metals

Whether the influence is rapid and immediate or drawn out over time doesn’t matter. What’s important is that the bully’s effects on the victim are drastic.

The form of corrosion protection used to protect metals can be thought of as the interloper:

Galvanization

Conversion Coatings

Volatile Corrosion Protection

Intercept Technology

These are the third parties who stand in-between the bully and his victim in an attempt to stop the caustic process.

Galvanization

A common method of corrosion protection is galvanization. We’ve mentioned it before. Galvanization is a process in which a ferrous or non-ferrous metal is coated with zinc.

The zinc acts as a sacrificial anode by way of giving up its electrons and corroding in place of the metal it’s coated on. It takes the bully head-on.

In this sense, Galvanization stands up to the bully for a period of time. While at first it defends the bully’s victim (the ferrous/non-ferrous metal), eventually the bully’s influence is too much for the interloper to take.

As the bully’s caustic behavior is directed towards galvanization, it wears him down. Over time the galvanization interloper surrenders, throwing in the towel and leaving the victim completely exposed to the bully’s onslaught.

Conversion Coatings

Conversion coatings are chemical and electro-chemical process in which a metal’s surface is converted into a derivative that’s more suited for corrosion inhibition.

In this analogy, a conversion coating is an interloper who attempts to train the victim how to defend himself. He gives him defense tactics, informing him of what to do when faced with the bully.

Conversion coatings are ineffective though for a few reasons. First and foremost, conversion coatings DO NOT WORK ON NON-FERROUS METALS. That’s an entire class of metals that conversion coatings cannot defend.

This means that over the course of time, the conversion coating’s attempts at teaching the victim how to defend himself will be in vain. The persisting bully will overcome the victim’s new defense strategies and continue to affect him.

Volatile Corrosion Protection

They emit a vapor when stored in packaging, coating the metal inside and forming a barrier. While VCP’s claim to protect metals from corrosion, in reality they compromise metals’ integrity.

In our analogy, the VCP interloper initially defends the victim, following him everywhere he goes. Anytime the bully strikes, the VCP interloper is there to defend him.

However, over the course of time, the interloper begins to “smother” our victim. His ongoing presence becomes just as much as a negative effect on the victim as the bully’s torments!

This is because VCP’s contain volatiles. The compounds released by VCP’s are oily, ineffective at preventing corrosion and their ingredients are mostly unknown. As a matter of fact, other countries have banned the use of VCP’s due to the volatile chemicals they contain.

In effect, our VCP interloper eventually turns around and starts picking on the victim along with the bully himself!

The VCP and the bully spread their influence from our one defenseless victim to the ENTIRE PLAYGROUND of students, subjugating them to caustic and unhealthy behavior.

Intercept Technology

Intercept Technology, the protective material used in all of PreservAll’s preservation bags, surrounds metals with a blend of copper and plastic in order to protect them from corrosion.

Copper is naturally un-reactive, which means it doesn’t undergo drastic chemical or structural changes when in contact with other elements. By making alterations to its atomic structure, the copper used in Intercept Technology becomes more reactive. Increased reactivity means that all forms of corrosion – gases, moisture, etc. – are drawn towards the Intercept material.

Intercept Technology acts as a sacrificial anode by taking on corrosives. The essential difference between Intercept Technology and the other forms of corrosion protection listed in this article is that Intercept neutralizes corrosives.

In our analogy, Intercept packaging is an interloper that solves the victim’s bully problem. Standing in place of the victim, it takes on the bully’s caustic behavior, counteracting and neutralizing it.

The bully is gotten rid of for good, and the ferrous metals and Intercept live together in harmony!

PreservAll sells corrosion inhibitor bags. One of our most popular product lines – gun storage bags – are just that, corrosion inhibitors. But like any other industry, there are many products available.

They can compromise the integrity of your guns through residue and will most likely lead to rust.

This Article Requires a Preface

There are certain designations of corrosion inhibitors that we’ll be unable to name throughout this article…this is for legal purposes.

The objective of this article is to increase consumer awareness of potentially dangerous chemicals and materials in certain corrosion inhibitors. Because we cannot explicitly state other brands of corrosion inhibitors in this article, we will hereby refer to corrosion inhibitors as either:

Not all products in the Other Corrosion Inhibitors category are dangerous, but a great many of them are.

While we cannot directly name the brands contained in the category itself, we will say that members of the Other Corrosion Inhibitors group have a presence in the packaging marketplace.

If you’ve browsed for anti corrosion products before then you’ve come across them.

A corrosion inhibitor has one primary purpose – to stop the degradation of whatever they’re aimed to protect.

Corrosion inhibitors can be used to protect a wide range of things, including firearms, tools, engines, electronics, heavy machinery, etc.

Products like these contain metals that corrode over time when exposed to certain reactive gases in the atmosphere. This results in increased costs, reduced efficiencies and additional labor for those involved.

Corrosion Inhibitors Work in One of Three Ways:

Neutralizing, Absorbing orBlocking Reactive Gases.

✅ Neutralizing Reactive Gases ✅

Intercept Corrosion Inhibitors neutralize gases by acting as a preferential site of corrosion. The Intercept material bonds with the corrosive gases attempting to enter the bag.

This means that the Intercept Corrosion Inhibitors themselves corrode. Essentially, they “take one for the team”, leaving the item it has been stored with protected and unharmed.

Rather than the protected item corroding, the Intercept Corrosion Inhibitor itself degrades over time.

This is the technology employed in PreservAll’s gun storage bags and it’s the most efficient on the market.

❌ AbsorbingReactive Gases ❌

Some Other Corrosion Inhibitors will absorb reactive gases present in the atmosphere but fail to completely neutralize them.

These types of products simply retain the reactive gases until reaching their maximum saturation point.

Fluctuations in temperature and humidity cause them to outgas – this is the process by which a solid releases a gas that had been previously absorbed or trapped.

Other Corrosion Inhibitors absorb reactive gases without neutralizing them. This means that they re-release these contaminants.

They inadvertently expose the objects they were intended to protect with the agents of corrosion they were intended to eliminate.

Needless to say, these types of corrosion inhibitors are counterproductive.

❌ Blocking Reactive Gases ❌

There’s some Other Corrosion Inhibitors, that don’t absorb reactive gases at all.

Instead, they contain oils that vaporize into a chemical cloud/barrier layer inside their containers.

This barrier is designed to coat the item it’s supposed to protect. This hypothetically keeps reactive gases from causing corrosion on the item.

Inserted into coatings, adhesives, plastics, powders and sprays, these chemicals leave deposits on the items they’re designed to protect and are often inefficient.

These corrosion inhibitors never truly neutralize the reactive gases in the first place.

Rather than protecting the materials they’re intended to, Other Corrosion Inhibitors that utilize barrier layers can harm precious metals and serve as a potential health hazard.

Someone looking for an anti corrosion product may come across a multitude of Other Corrosion Inhibitors and think they sound effective.

Many don’t display their active ingredients and materials by way of listing them as “trade secrets”. In doing this, they aren’t obligated to disclose what they’re comprised of.

Research done by independent laboratories has exposed the active ingredients found in some Other Corrosion Inhibitors:

Truethanolamine

Ammonia Hydroxide

Ethyl Acetate

Trimethyl

Trimethylbenzene

Propylene Glycol

Butyl Acetate

Phosphoric Acid

Make no mistake, this is only a small sampling, and many other chemicals have been found as well.

Many of the chemicals found in Other Corrosion Inhibitors are on the EPA Registered Pesticide List, OSHA’s Air Contaminants List, and are found to be carcinogenic. Some are even flagged by the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Compare the previous list of ingredients with that of the Intercept Corrosion Inhibitors used in PreservAll’s gun storage bags.

Copper

Polyethylene

As you can see, there’s quite a difference. Intercept Corrosion Inhibitors are patented and since we don’t claim “trade secrets”, we have nothing to hide.

Our products contain a high surface area copper embedded into a polymer and nothing else. No volatiles, no carcinogens, no abrasives!

These are important things to consider if you’re in the corrosion inhibitor market. Regardless of whether or not you purchase PreservAll bags or any other Intercept Corrosion Inhibitor products, we felt this was vital information that should be shared.

This past year has been emotionally taxing and held a lot of changes for the world. With the occurrence of so many polarizing events and with New Years right around the corner, now seems like the perfect time for resolutions and personal reflection.

It’s an essential question that oscillates throughout our lives. More likely than not, though, what matters most to you is that which you feel the strongest compulsion to protect.

The drive to protect that which we revere is a fundamental instinct. It’s possessed not only by humans, but by all species. Often times, this entails protecting and providing for our loved ones, conserving memories or ensuring security.

here are preservall’s protection specialties:

Protect Memories of the “Big Day”

It goes without saying that your wedding day is one of the most important events in your life.

It’s an act of lifetime commitment and the exact moment in which you agree to share the rest of your life with another person. The bond that’s created on your wedding day has effects that perpetually influence future generations, and each and every matrimony truly changes the world.

As we grow old the bond of matrimony is strengthened, but often times the memories themselves fade.

It’s an unavoidable consequence of the aging process!

This is why protecting wedding dresses and passing them down has been a tradition for centuries. Not only does preserving your wedding dress create a physical token of what was hopefully the greatest day of your life, but it provides your children and grandchildren with a memento as well. If you keep your wedding dress in quality condition, it’s possible that your own daughter will exhibit it on her big day as well.

This may very well be the sector that PreservAll takes the most satisfaction in. Knowing that our products play a role in preserving your family’s memories is humbling and that’s why we create the most effective garment protection bags on the market.

Protect Ancestor’s Hard Work

Some of the most valuable family heirlooms are quilts and tapestries. These keepsakes provide the utility of keeping loved ones warm while also embodying a beauty rich enough to make them pieces of art in their own right. Whether their patterns are plain and simple or intricate and complex, quilts are distinctive pieces of history.

The amount of work required to make quilts and tapestries is truly staggering. This is why families that are lucky enough to have them as heirlooms want to keep them protected. Not only are they physical reminders of a more hands-on time, they’re the stunning result of dedicated craftsmanship.

While the number one way to protect a quilt from degradation is by using it, sometimes this isn’t an option. Long term and short term storage of quilts can result in the occurrence of mold and mildew. Protecting quilts from degradation is perhaps our greatest contribution to the preservation of history, simply because these quilts were made to last. The fact of the matter is that in facing the present day atmosphere, quilts may need a little extra help in order to get by.

Protect a Means of Security

We mentioned earlier that the compulsion to protect something is usually an excellent indicator of how much you value it. When most people think about what they value most, family stands out from all the rest. We go about protecting our families in different ways.

For some individuals, protecting their family entails gun ownership. It’s a divisive topic and a sector that people feel very strongly about on both sides. The idea of having a firearm to protect your family from a malevolent intruder provides some with peace of mind.

Additionally, firearms are often held in the same esteem as wedding dresses and quilts due to their historical significance.

Firearms are often passed down from generation to generation. Accompanied with stories ranging from stoic recollections of war to lighthearted hunter’s tales, firearms convey history that owners want to keep intact.

Regardless of the reasons an individual would want to protect their firearms, we offer effective protection for all types of hardware. Whether they’re viewed as a means of protection or as a means of tradition, PreservAll’s commitment to protecting firearms from corrosion is steadfast.

PreservAll Takes Pride in What We Do

We know our customers undergo great measures to protect the things they love and that’s why we’re so honored to aide in the process. It’s also why we have an extensive product line, providing protection for valued keepsakes of all shapes and size.

Whether an object’s value is monetary or sentimental, keeping it safe from degradation is top priority. As outside events shape your worldview and the year comes to a close, take note of the things you treasure most.

Negative Effects of Rust

Lets take a look at the effects of rust on an investment that most people will make at one point in their lives – an automobile.

When someone is in the market for a used automobile there’s a few things they’ll want to look at. Mileage, accident reports, maintenance records, tires, color and paint condition are all standard inspection points.

Lifts make rust inspection underneath a vehicle significantly easier.

Experienced car owners, however, will also want to get a good look underneath the vehicle.

The underside of an automobile is the area constantly exposed to its three most corrosive elements – snow, rain and salt. These spell disaster and result in extensive degradation to the vehicle.

While the outside of a car is covered in paint which stops oxidation, the car’s undercarriage coating wears off quickly. This renders the vehicle extremely vulnerable.

I bring up the effects of rust on automobiles because it’s something that most people are familiar with. Some may not realize though, that the same rules apply to anything and everything made of ferrous metals.

This seems obvious for wet areas of the world, but the same is true even in dry areas. Those who live in arid regions of the world may figure they need not worry about oxidation. So long as there’s even the slightest bit of atmospheric moisture though, iron will rust. While the corrosive effects are decidedly slower without the added elements of salt, snow and steady rain, they will undoubtedly happen over time.

How Can We Combat Rust?

Like chess, stopping rust requires strategy.

It might sound like it’s impossible to avoid rust and that resistance is futile…

BUT DON’T FRET! Throughout time humanity has found varyingly effective anti-corrosion methods:

Paint.As previously mentioned, paint is used to stop the oxidation of ferrous metals. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it also acts as a barrier. By painting metals that are constantly exposed to the elements, replacement costs and repairs are greatly reduced.

Galvanization.A less commonly known method of protection, the galvanization process, entails coating a ferrous metal with zinc. This coating is achieve through the use of hot dipping. Due to it’s reactivity, the zinc corrodes before the iron or steel it’s protecting does. As you may have guessed, galvanization doesn’t last forever and requires additional coatings over time.

Bluing.In tying this back to PreservAll’s speciality – firearms – bluingis a conversion coating used on guns. An electrochemical process, bluing entails the facilitation of an oxidizing chemical reaction on iron. The end result is the creation of Magnetite (the black oxide of iron) on the firearm, which is less reactive with the atmosphere.

What Method Works Best?

Unfortunately, there is no one “best method” for combating rust. Different protective applications are more advantageous in different situations and each corrosive prevention method has its downsides:

Paint fades over time, especially when exposed to the elements.

Galvanization degrades over time by design and re-galvanizing is costly and labor intensive.

Bluing is an outdated method that is inefficient at preventing rust.

These methods have been applied in nearly every field that utilizes ferrous metals. Each industry has found what works best for their needs and the examples above are only a small sampling of developed anti-corrosion tactics.

It’s important to know the vulnerabilities of what you’re trying to protect. Its’s equally important to know the elements they’ll be exposed to. By starting with a solid foundation of information, you can make the best decision with regards to the best method of rust protection.

In their pure form many metals have vulnerabilities such as low melting points, low ductility or over-malleability. When two metals or elements are combined though they form an alloy. This step in metallurgy paved the way for an infinite number of possibilities.

The use of alloys provided humanity with a limitless amount of applications, shaping the evolution of industry and art alike. In considering the wide range of alloys available, there are perhaps none so effective, efficient and beneficent as copper alloys.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of copper and copper alloys:

Quick Overview of Copper (Cu)

While it usually contains imperfections, copper ore is red and shinny in its natural state.

Copper is arguably one of the most important metals on the planet. Expediting the metallurgy and smelting processes all throughout the Bronze Age, it has been a highly influential metal.

Copper is a noble metal, meaning it’s resistant to corrosion. It’s extremely malleable, ductile, and soft. It’s also one of the few metallic elements that exists as a solid in nature.

It’s because of its naturally metallic state and striking reddish appearance that copper was first discovered by humans nearly 10,000 years ago. It was the first metal found workable by man and used for both practicality as well as adornment.

It wasn’t until around 5,000 B.C. with the advent of smelting that new uses of copper began to be discovered through the use of alloys. This brought humanity brass and bronze – equally influential metals.

Bronze

The addition of tin to copper results in bronze – ushering in a new era

Bronze is an alloy of 90% copper and 10% tin. Harder and stronger than copper alone, bronze quickly became a prominent material used for a variety of purposes. Among these purposes were tools, armor and weapons.

The advent of smelting brought upon an age of experimentation with metals. While the initial creation of bronze may have been accidental, it seems that at around 3,200 B.C. tin began to be mined deliberately for use in the creation of bronze. Despite it’s popularity in the eastern hemisphere, tin was actually relatively rare in the areas it was being used most.

As mentioned earlier, bronze had a number of applications; most notably weapons. Gunmetal Bronze – an alloy of copper, tin and zinc – was used throughout the 18th and 19th centuries to make firearms (hence its name) in addition to cannons.

The use of bronze in firearms was eventually replaced by steel as smithing techniques became more advanced. However, gunmetal bronze was a prominent alloy for many years and retains characteristics still sought out by collectors to this day.

Antimicrobial

One of the most intriguing aspects of copper – and one of its lesser-known properties – is the inability for microbes and microorganisms to adhere to its surface.

This property has contributed to the metal’s popularity and widespread use, especially in applications related to water. For instance, since its initiation, copper piping has become the unanimous favorite of materials used in plumbing purposes.

Due to the fact that microbes can’t live on its surface, copper is a perfect metal to use in any damp or wet areas. It’s also unaffected by humidity and temperature change. Found in desalination systems, embedded into the paint used on ship hull’s and comprising boat propeller, it has proven time and again its versatility.

Intercept™ Technology

Intercept™ Technology is a patented copper polymer that stops corrosion and it’s used in all PreservAll products. Intercept™ Technology protects your valuables by acting as a preferential corrosion site – it becomes a “sacrificial anode”.

Corrosive gases that come into contact with our Intercept™ materials bond to the present copper molecules. The copper molecules and the Intercept™ product itself (bag, film, tab, etc.) then degrade over time, rather than the object of value.

Intercept™ Technology gains all the benefits of copper while retaining the flexibility and reusability of plastic. It’s a copper alloy in and of itself. Temperature and humidity independent, antimicrobial and fully protective, it’s the most reliable way to protect your valuables.